The Courage to Begin
There is nothing more exciting than the start of something new - the potential, the newness, the courage it takes to really put yourself out there.
I love it… as long as I’m not the one doing it.
When I’m the one taking the plunge into an unfamiliar environment, I’m not always so adventurous. In fact, I get a bit nervous. Which is about the time my creative mind gets involved, developing highly unlikely scenarios designed to convince me to never leave my comfort zone.
Last year, I put myself back into learning mode to earn my 200-hour yoga teacher certification. I had practiced yoga for decades, but earning a teaching certification involved much more than taking yoga classes. It meant studying teaching techniques, anatomy and yoga philosophy- as well as the part that made me most nervous: memorizing the names of the poses in both English and Sanskrit. At 60, I was concerned I might not have the mental or physical bandwidth necessary to succeed.
Before committing to any new adventure, I like to create a list of the stellar ways I could fail. So, naturally, I began the certification process by cataloging everything that could go wrong, along with all the reasons it was not the right time to pursue this goal. Thankfully, I pushed through the uncomfortable and opened the door to a wonderful new path of growth, meaningful experiences and beautiful people.
Over the years I’ve developed a few skills to keep myself from tumbling down the rabbit hole. I’ve learned to stop negative thoughts mid-stream - like Kegels for the brain - and concentrate on the many things I stand to learn. I remind myself that part of being a healthy human is connecting with the natural world and its wonderfully diverse inhabitants; and that I grow by pushing beyond the limits of what feels comfortable.
A dance studio is perhaps the place I feel most at home. Dance has been part of my world since I was three years old. So, when we begin a new school year at the studio, I am perfectly comfortable. My mind is filled with ideas and plans for the fun we are going to have, the things we will learn and the many ways we will connect.
But I am also mindful of the courage it takes to be a new student. To know no one. To enter an unfamiliar space. To learn a new skill. Every year, many of our students do exactly that. They walk through our doors feeling uncertain, shy and vulnerable, yet willing to try.
Nine months later, those same students will have developed the confidence to walk onto a stage and perform for hundreds of people. They may still feel nervous, but they have learned how to push through the difficult to grow and achieve new things.
I am amazed and honored to be a part of that transformation – and to introduce the exhilarating, exhausting and creative world of dance to every brave person willing to cross the threshold into something new.
